WPIAL girls soccer championships: Seneca Valley drops another heartbreaker in final to North Allegheny

November 01, 2025 Last Updated: November 01, 2025 03:07 AM Sports

Seneca Valley’s Madelynn Connellan (28) becomes emotional after falling to North Allegheny 2-1 in double overtime in the WPIAL Class 4A Girls Soccer Championship game Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, at Highmark Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

PITTSBURGH — Narrow defeats at Highmark Stadium carry with them a distinct sting.

It’s the venue that hosts the WPIAL soccer championships, and Seneca Valley’s girls have become too familiar with walking away from the stadium asking “What if?”

North Allegheny’s Rosalia Varlotta scored in double overtime, handing the Raiders a bitter 2-1 defeat in Friday’s Class 4A championship game.

A year ago at the same venue, SV was runner-up after falling short in penalty kicks against Peters Township.

Varlotta’s game-winner, her 12th goal of the season, was too high for Raiders goalie Sydney Postler.

“Both teams played great, both had chances,” SV coach Mark Perry said. “It was going to take a great shot to win it, and credit NA, they scored on two great shots tonight.”

The game was scoreless until Maddie Marcotte scored for SV (12-4-2) in the 67th minute.

A teammate had sent a cross from the left toward the net. The ball was still above goalie Jordan Beemer when it crossed the goal face. She leapt and got her fingers on the ball, but not enough to keep it from getting to Marcotte, who was waiting near the right side of the net.

Marcotte had scored just one goal in the regular season but has come up big in the playoffs.

Seneca Valley’s Sophia Lawryk (31) and North Allegheny Rosalia Varlotta (2) battle over possession of the ball in the WPIAL Class 4A Girls Soccer Championship game Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, at Highmark Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

“I was hoping one goal would be enough, but NA puts a lot of pressure on you,” Perry said.

Five minutes later, Kieran Shannon, who had been the focal point of numerous chances for the Tigers (17-3-2) in the game, scored shortly after a corner kick to tie the score.

Shannon tallied 12 of the Tigers’ 26 shots in the game.

“We throw numbers into our attack,” NA coach Chuck Kelley said. “We’re not a team that’s going to sit back, play defense and just hope to score somehow. We go after it.”

Postler tallied 11 saves and Beemer stopped three shots.

As members of Section 3, the Raiders and Tigers faced off twice in the regular season. SV won the first meeting 2-0, and NA won the rematch 2-1.

“For a lot of games, you have to watch film to get an idea of what a team has,” Kelley said. “The nice thing was we didn’t have to do that for this game.”

The Raiders will begin play in the state playoffs Tuesday at a site and time to be determined against a subregional winner between Districts 6, 8 and 10. Brackets will be announced Sunday.

“There are a lot of good 4A teams in the WPIAL,” Perry said. “Getting here is hard, but if you do, you know your season is not over. You get a second chance at states.”

Seneca Valley’s Madeline Marcotte (7) cries tears of joy as fellow teammate Karly Majeski (13) celebrates Marcotte’s first goal of the game in the WPIAL Class 4A Girls Soccer Championship game on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, at Highmark Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Seneca Valley’s Sophia Lawryk (31) and North Allegheny Rosalia Varlotta (2) battle over possession of the ball in the WPIAL Class 4A Girls Soccer Championship game on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, at Highmark Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw

Seneca Valley’s Madelynn Connellan (28) becomes emotional after falling to North Allegheny 2-1 in double overtime in the WPIAL Class 4A Girls Soccer Championship game on Friday, Oct. 31, 2025, at Highmark Stadium. Rob McGraw/Butler Eagle

Rob McGraw